Himes: Manafort should address Trump’s Kremlin ties

By Neil Vigdor

Updated 7:53 am, Tuesday, March 21, 2017

According to Politico.com the former Donald Trumps former campaign manager Paul Manafort is reportedly wanted for questioning by American and Ukrainian officials. The questioning is related to Manaforts involvement "surrounding separate investigations related to his work for a pro-Russian political party in Ukraine once headed by that country’s disgraced former president Viktor Yanukovych," according to Politico.

Media: WochIt Media

To connect the dots between Donald Trump and Russia starts and ends with Connecticut.

Trump’s one-time campaign chairman Paul Manafort, who cut his teeth as a political fixer in the state, is once again a prime person of interest in a deepening probe into Russia’s interference in last year’s presidential election.

Manafort’s previous clients include the pro-Russian former president of the Ukraine, for whom he reportedly funneled $2.2 million to a pair of major Washington, D.C., lobbying firms. That activity, compounded with U.S. intelligence findings that the Russians meddled in the election, has fueled questions of Trump’s legitimacy as president.

James Comey, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), listens during a House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence hearing concerning Russian meddling in the 2016 United States election, on Capitol Hill, March 20, 2017 in Washington. While both the Senate and House Intelligence committees have received private intelligence briefings in recent months, Monday's hearing is the first public hearing on alleged Russian attempts to interfere in the 2016 election. less

James Comey, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), listens during a House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence hearing concerning Russian meddling in the 2016 United States election, on ... more

Photo: Drew Angerer / Getty Images

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FBI Director James Comey testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, March 20, 2017, before the House Intelligence Committee hearing on allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. less

FBI Director James Comey testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, March 20, 2017, before the House Intelligence Committee hearing on allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential ... more

Photo: J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press

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James Comey, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), testifies during a House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence hearing concerning Russian meddling in the 2016 United States election, on Capitol Hill, March 20, 2017 in Washington, DC. While both the Senate and House Intelligence committees have received private intelligence briefings in recent months, Monday's hearing is the first public hearing on alleged Russian attempts to interfere in the 2016 election. less

James Comey, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), testifies during a House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence hearing concerning Russian meddling in the 2016 United States election, on ... more

Photo: Drew Angerer / Getty Images

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FBI Director James Comey pauses as he testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, March 20, 2017, before the House Intelligence Committee hearing on allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. less

FBI Director James Comey pauses as he testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, March 20, 2017, before the House Intelligence Committee hearing on allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. ... more

Photo: J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press

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(L to R) Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT), ranking member Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and chairman Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) wait for the start of a House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence hearing concerning Russian meddling in the 2016 United States election, on Capitol Hill, March 20, 2017 in Washington, DC. While both the Senate and House Intelligence committees have received private intelligence briefings in recent months, Monday's hearing is the first public hearing on alleged Russian attempts to interfere in the 2016 election. less

“I think the facts would show that he never did register,” Himes said. “It perhaps should come as no surprise that the Republican platform, which was drafted at the Republican Convention in July of 2016, underwent a pretty significant change with respect to the American response to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and their aggression in that country. It appears from our standpoint that we had perhaps somebody who should have registered (as a foreign agent) pulling the strings there.”

Comey, a former constituent of Himes when he resided in Westport and was general counsel for the world’s largest hedge fund, Bridgewater Associates, said he could not discuss Manafort or any other individuals who might be in the crosshairs of the FBI.

He did confirm that there is an ongoing investigation into whether Trump’s campaign colluded with the Russians’ efforts to influence the outcome of the election. But the FBI chief further declined to say whether his agency is participating in a Ukrainian anti-corruption probe centering on Manafort.

“I can say generally we have a very strong relationship in cooperation with criminal and national security areas with our Ukrainian partners,” Comey said.

A request for comment was left Monday for Manafort, a New Britain native.

Himes said after the hearing that he will push for Manafort to appear before Congress, in addition to Trump confidante Roger Stone, a Norwalk native, who Himes said had an uncanny ability to predict what would appear in Wikileaks during the campaign.

“I would certainly put Paul Manafort at the top of that list,” Himes said of future witnesses.

The White House distanced itself Monday from Manafort, with Press Secretary Sean Spicer saying during his daily press briefing that Manafort “played a very limited role for a very limited amount of time.”

Trump enlisted Manafort last March to sew up the GOP nomination and quash the “Never Trump” movement in the party. Manafort’s run as Trump’s campaign chairman ended in August with role being reduced and then his resignation.

Stone said he was tied up with a television interview and not immediately available for comment Monday.